Ambon, Maluku, Sept 18 (Antara) - Maluku Governor Said Assagaff inaugurated the international cycling race of Tour de Moluccas (TdM) at the Merdeka Square in the eastern Indonesian city of Ambon on Sunday night.
In the company of Maluku Tourism Office Chief Habiba Saimima and the presence of all participants of the international cycling race, the governor opened the sports tourism event scheduled on September 18-22, 2017.
The opening ceremony of the TdM 2017 on Sunday night was enlivened by art and cultural performances to entertain the participants who mostly come from abroad.
On the occasion, Governor Assagaff extended his gratitude to the international cyclists from some 20 countries for participating in the sports tourism event.
"I hope the participants of the cycling race will not feel bored but eager to conquer the entire route and enjoy the beauty of nature and tourism in this province," the governor remarked.
TdM 2017 will cover a total distance of 714 kilometers (km), crossing three districts and a city in the islands of Seram and Ambon in the province of Maluku.
Assagaff asserted that the TdM international cycling race can offer an important opportunity for the provincial government and the people of Maluku to develop the tourism sector and make it the top seed in regional development and welfare improvement.
The governor expressed hope that the entire community in Maluku would offer support to ensure the success of the event, so that it can leave behind a memorable impression and be an interesting experience for the participants of the cycling race.
Earlier on Sunday afternoon, Governor Assagaff, along with Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Binsar Panjaitan and numerous local government officials, had participated in the Cycling for All event by touring the city of Ambon as part of the grand opening of TdM, with a total prize of Rp1 billion.
Later, on Monday morning, some 20 countries` participants who were divided into 14 teams left Ambon City for Piru in West Seram to participate in the first of the five stages of the TdM race.
The teams participating in the TdM are: Terengganu Cycling Team of Malaysia, 7-Eleven Road Bike of the Philippines, St George Continental Cycling Team of Australia, Kinan Cycling Team of Japan, LX Cycling Team of South Korea, Sapura Cycling Team of Malaysia, Kuwait Cartucho ES of Kuwait, CCN Cycling Team of Laos, KFC Cycling team of Indonesia, PGN - Road Cycling Team of China, Banyuwangi Road Cycling Club, Advan Customs Cycling Club of Bali, and United Bike Kencana of Malang.
The TdM international cycling race is divided into five stages, with the first one from Piru to Masohi covering a distance of 179.7 km; the second from Wahai to Bula, 155.8 km; the third from Bula to Wahai, 153.8 km; the fourth from Masohi to Waipirit, 138.5km; and the fifth stage will be from Namalatu Beach and circle Ambon seven times before reaching the finish line at Merdeka Square for the closing ceremony on September 22, 2017.
